Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand, has decided to take down an exhibit on the Treaty of Waitangi that was vandalized during a protest in December. The decision comes after Chief Culture Censor Paul Goldsmith demanded the artwork be removed [aa93f6e9].
The Te Papa Board has been accused of acquiescing to Goldsmith's demands and being gutless and cowardly. The author of the article criticizes the government for its authoritarianism and attacks on various groups and spaces. The article expresses disappointment with the current government and questions how they were voted in. The author suggests that the disillusionment with the lack of transformation by the Labour Party led to many people not voting or not supporting left-wing parties. The article concludes by calling for support for independent voices in the media [aa93f6e9].
The Treaty of Waitangi is a key document in New Zealand's history, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and various Maori chiefs. It is considered the founding document of the nation and is seen as a partnership agreement between the Crown and Maori. The exhibit at Te Papa aimed to educate visitors about the significance of the treaty and its ongoing relevance. However, it was vandalized during a protest, leading to its removal [aa93f6e9].
ACT MP Karen Chhour has responded to the Māori Party's 'divisive outbursts' and criticized co-leader Rawiri Waititi for his comments about the Pakeha Government and Pakeha Budget. Chhour highlighted that the government has more Ministers with Māori ancestry than the Māori Party has MPs and argued that the budget is for all New Zealanders. Chhour also pointed out that the budget funds charter schools and addresses the pharmaceutical budget. She accused the Māori Party of seeing everything through a racial lens and neglecting the real challenges faced by struggling individuals. Chhour expressed disappointment in the lack of accountability for the Māori Party's behavior and criticized the media for giving them a platform. She concluded by stating that the Māori Party is bringing shame to Parliament and that New Zealanders deserve better [5dddc464].
David Seymour accuses the Waitangi Tribunal of meddling after it makes confidential Treaty Principles documents public. The briefings reveal that officials told the government the policy could threaten social cohesion and ACT's proposed principles were a novel interpretation with the backing of no expert opinion. The government's total acquiescence to donor interests and fast-tracking powers to dismantle environmental legislation risks civil disobedience. New Zealand lacks robust safeguards against abuses of power. No MMP government has passed more bills under urgency in its first 100 days than the present coalition. National, ACT, and NZ First are pursuing casual fascism. The economy is on the slide, and unemployment is predicted to hit 5%. National doesn't have $60m for first-time home buyers, but they do have $2.9b for landlords. The government is owned by big tobacco, big mining, and big money. Civil unrest may occur by the year's end. One of the biggest grievances for Māori is the perpetual leases. Crony capitalism is a threat to democracy [56aa73dd].
A survey of 1000 randomly selected New Zealanders found that half of those surveyed backed a repeal of the previous Labour Government’s rules for winter grazing and stock exclusion. Federated Farmers' vice president and freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst says that the survey results give politicians confidence in unwinding the heavy-handed regulations. The survey, conducted by Curia Market Research from 5-7 May, also found that 46% of respondents supported removing the requirements of Te Mana o te Wai and involving tangata whenua in managing freshwater. Hurst believes that the public recognizes the importance of agriculture to New Zealand's economy and that unnecessary red tape and compliance costs have hurt the sector. He emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that protects the environment while allowing farmers to farm and create jobs. The survey results indicate that the coalition Government has the support of most New Zealanders in winding back some of the Labour Government's regulations [977e5d99].
About 20,000 protesters marched in Auckland, New Zealand, against the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The bill, which critics fear will harm the environment, undermine the Treaty of Waitangi, and enable corruption, gives three cabinet ministers unprecedented power to fast track development proposals. Former Green Party co-leader Russel Norman called on protesters to fight against the bill, stating that the majority of New Zealanders do not want development that destroys nature. In Wellington, thousands of people protested government cuts to public service jobs, accusing the coalition government of having an agenda against the public service [fde3fa34].
Māori land restoration groups in New Zealand are reacting to a $55 million funding cut to the Jobs for Nature program. The program, established by the previous Labour government, has created over 12,000 jobs in the past three years. One of the affected groups is the Raukumara Pae Maunga Restoration Project (RPMRP), a partnership between Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui, and the Department of Conservation (DoC). Ora Barlow, the governor of RPMRP, emphasizes the importance of nature in the economy and the need for resilience. Nancy Tuaine, spokesperson for Mōuri Tūroa in Whanganui, highlights the opportunity for employment and the chance to improve land practices. Former conservation minister Kiritapu Allan reflects on the purpose of the initiative and challenges the current government to assess the benefits of Jobs for Nature. Mōuri Tūroa is strategizing the future of the program, while RPMRP plans to continue until 2026 [3ff147e3] [6cde51ae].
Māori Party president John Tamihere calls for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to be put into domestic law in New Zealand. Foreign Minister Winston Peters dismisses a report by the Human Rights Commission on New Zealand's lack of progress in implementing the declaration. Tamihere criticizes Peters for rejecting the idea of Indigenous rights in Aotearoa and accuses him of hypocrisy. Tamihere also highlights the obligations created by signing the declaration in 2010 that are being ignored. The article discusses the ongoing battle for Indigenous rights in New Zealand [e75b5e41].